A Little Bit of Happiness
by Misha Young
Summary: This is just a little story im putting together about the summer after 6th year. Basically the feeling is the calm before the storm, thus the little bit of happiness before everything goes crazy. It's my first but give it to me straight please. HG & RH
1. Chapter 1

I own nothing, oh well. I just write stories to go with the ideas and characters already made.

This is just a little story im putting together about the summer after 6th year. Basically the feeling is the "calm before the storm", thus the little bit of happiness before everything goes crazy.

* * *

One of the floorboards squeaked as she made her way down the narrow staircase that lead to the kitchen. It was almost two in the morning at the Burrow. This was not the best time to be wandering around alone, but she just could not sleep.

Ginny had told her to "Sod off," in a very tired voice when Hermione had accidentally woken her up when one of her books had hit the floor. In all honesty, Hermione had wanted Ginny to come with her. But after her answer to the book, Hermione just shrugged and simply said, "Sorry."

Hermione held her breath as she listened for anyone who might have noticed the floorboard. She could not hear anyone even shifting in their beds, so she continued down the stairs.

As she got to the kitchen, Hermione had the sudden urge to just go back to Ginny's room and stare at the ceiling as she had done so many other nights. If Mrs. Weasley or the boys had found out that she had left the house, even if it was just for the backyard, they would not be very pleased. No one and nowhere was safe anymore. Not since Dumbledore was gone and Voldemort had started attacking people.

But it seemed Voldemort was being very cautious at the time being. He had only attacked a few high ranking ministry members he thought had been Order members and only one family so far. The Order had also discovered that Voldemort was in Romania at the moment, but did not know why.

With all of these facts in her head, Hermione decided that it was safe enough to venture out into the backyard to the garden.

It was so peaceful in the garden, especially with the beautiful night sky that sparkled above it. The fact that Ron, Harry, Ginny and herself had just de-gnomed the garden the day before was very comforting.

Hermione looked around her and just absorbed the lovely, peaceful feeling around her. The past three weeks had not been anywhere near the carefree summer it should have been. After all the hardships everyone had endured the past school year, they should have been rewarded with a restful summer, but it was nothing like that.

It was even worse.

It was the calm before the storm.

The feeling that it should not be this peaceful was always at the back of everyone's mind. But for right now Hermione wanted to forget about the war and the world all together. She just wanted to think about the stars.

* * *

Harry felt like his insides were being twisted into knots. Dumbledore was leaning on the side of the castle wall at the top of the tower as Snape drew his wand and pointed it squarely at Dumbledore's heart…

* * *

Harry sat up so fast he could not keep himself from falling out of his bed. He hit Ron's floor with a great thud that did not seem to be loud enough to affect Ron's heavy sleep. Harry just sat there for a few minutes attempting to recollect his thoughts. He had been reliving Dumbledore's death in his dreams for almost three weeks now. If Dumbledore was not in his dreams, Ginny was.

Harry and Ginny had an awkward few weeks together. Ron and Hermione were practically a couple, though neither would admit it to anyone, including themselves. And this left Harry and Ginny alone much of the time. This became a very difficult situation. Harry could not comply with the idea of cutting Ginny out of his life completely. He just could not bring himself to do it. So, even in such a short time, they now had a silent understanding.

They were basically best friends.

Well, best friends who always caught themselves flirting with each other terribly.

But Harry still had that terrible feeling in his stomach. And it was not because of Dumbledore or Ginny.

Harry slowly and carefully raised himself from the floor and made his way to the door of Ron's room. As he opened the door, Ron gave a great snore and turned over in his sleep. Shaking his head slightly but smiling, Harry made his way down the stairs to the Weasley's kitchen.

Harry looked around the kitchen waiting to see if he could find the thing that was bothering him so much, but nothing seemed to be disturbed in the kitchen.

Nothing at all, until Harry looked out the window and saw someone lying in the grass beside one of the trees. Harry held his breath as he inched toward the door that lead out to the garden. He opened the door silently and walked slowly to the person in the grass.

Harry knew exactly who the figure was when he took his third step threw the grass. He laughed at himself and began to walk normally to the spot where Hermione lay.

"What are you doing awake at this time?" Hermione asked without even looking at him. "Did you have the dream again?"

Harry dropped himself next to Hermione and asked "and which dream are you talking about?"

"Well you don't seem depressed. You just seem rather shaky, so it has to be the dream about Dumbledore again."

They looked at each other as Harry plainly stated, "I thought you didn't like Divination."

Laughing heartily, Hermione sat up and looped her arm threw his as she simply said, "I only know everything about you because I've known you too long and know you too well."

Harry untwined their arms and swung his arm around her thin shoulders. "You always were a know it all best friend."

"Is that all I am? A know it all? Just a best friend!" Hermione whispered sharply before she laughed again.

"No, never! You are and ever will be the sister I should have had!" Harry tried to say with a serious face that broke instantly. Over the years Harry and Hermione had grown so close. But over the past three weeks, whenever Hermione and Ron were not glued at the hip, they had become more then just friends.

They had evolved into family.

* * *

Please comment. It's my first story so its a little shaky. Thanks. - Misha 


	2. Chapter 2

New chapter. Please read and review.

* * *

Harry and Hermione stayed outside that night for almost three hours. The sky had lightened to a bluish-gray before they realized that they needed to sneak back into the house and back to their beds. 

"I'll race you!" cried Hermione as she already headed toward the house. Harry let Hermione win as a good brother should. And as they reached Ginny's room, Harry took Hermione into a tight hug. This surprised her a bit, but Hermione hugged tightly back, "You're going soft on me Harry. What will we do with you now?" He smiled softly and responded shortly, "You will do nothing, now go to sleep."

Harry let her go and continued up the stairs to Ron's room.

* * *

Hermione entered Ginny's room and was taken back by a strange sight. 

Ginny was sitting on her bed with her knees held close to her body and her blanket wrapped tight around her small frame. What surprised Hermione the most were the tears. Ginny's face had wet streaks from the edge of her eyes to the bottom of her chin.

As Hermione closed the door, Ginny quickly tried to make her appearance seem merely tired. Ginny smiled and asked in her quiet voice, "where have you been Hermione? I was a bit worried when I woke up to get some water and you weren't here."

Ignoring Ginny's words completely, Hermione walked over to the bed and sat down next to Ginny as she wrapped her arms around her teary friend.

Ginny broke down.

"Hermione, what's wrong with me? Why am I acting like this? I haven't cried like this since I found out Bill was hurt by that stupid Grayback, or whatever his name was." Hermione knew that Ginny just needed to cry. She had not really cried at all after Harry had broken up with her. Hermione quickly put a silence charm on the room so Ginny could just let it all out.

Ginny appreciated the fact that Hermione just let her keep talking and crying. Soon she got to her last question.

"How come he can't talk to me about anything anymore, but he can tell you every thought he's having?" Ginny barely whispered.

"Because I am his sister. You're his love, and he doesn't want to put you in danger remember?" Hermione shifted so that she was facing Ginny now. "Harry love me as a sister and he knows he can't talk me out of going with him to find Voldemort. But he believes that he can protect you from all of this, so he is trying to not tell you anything that is related to the mission."

Ginny looked very white. She nodded slightly but did not look convinced.

"Ginny, I think you need to sleep on the idea. Lets both get back to bed and sleep in very late. That should get Fleur riled a bit. What do you think?" Hermione asked looking at Ginny hopefully.

Ginny looked at her with her red eyes and red nose. "Alright, but only because I'm so tired from all the bloody crying," she said with a weak smile, but a smile nonetheless.

Ginny fell asleep very quickly. Hermione surprisingly fell asleep quickly as well.

* * *

Hermione woke up a few hours later to the yelling and screaming of Fleur's thick French accent. 

"I don't know vhat you are talking about! I did not vant that colour. I vanted the blue I chose of course!"

Hermione did not even try to climb out of bed, instead she pulled her covers up above her head as she waited for Ginny to wake up and start complaining about the voice that was now echoing throughout the entire house.

"What the bloody hell is she screaming about!"

"I think the invitations or napkins or something. I feel really stupid for taking that silencing charm off the bedroom when we decided to go back to sleep. I should have just left it and waited for the boys to wake us up."

Ginny regretfully heaved herself out of bed and went to pull Hermione's covers down from her head.

"Stop pretending that this is your fault and get out of bed. I want to find out what she's yelling about this time," Ginny said sternly as she went over to her closet and pulled out an old pair of blue jeans and a white t-shirt.

Hermione gave up her attempt to fall asleep again and went over to the drawer that Ginny had cleared out for her. She pulled out a pair of blue jeans that were barley broken in and a green shirt.

Hermione was wide awake by the time she was tying up the laces on her sneakers, but Ginny seemed to have falling into a sleepwalking state. Hermione laughed lightly as she reached over to stop Ginny from putting on a plain white sock to go with the colorful toe sock she had already put on.

They finally made their way down to the kitchen in time to catch the end of Fleur's yelling.

They were met with an interesting site.

Fleur was in a little pile on the kitchen tile floor. Mrs. Weasley was right next to her attempting to do the impossible and calm her down. Hermione and Ginny tip-toed around the table to where Harry was sitting with the shocked wedding planner.

"Well, … um,… I don't,…what,…did I do something terribly wrong?"

The defenseless wedding planner had no idea what she had done to upset her client. She was just sitting there rambling to herself as she tried to figure out what had just happened in the small kitchen.

Harry uncharacteristically seemed very awake. He was trying desperately to cover up the fact that he was laughing. He actually had tears streaming down his face from suppressing the tears so hard. Mrs. Weasley was even smiling very slightly, though she was hiding it very well from Fleur.

"Now dear, it is not the end of the world. We can fix this very easily. There is no need to be losing your head about something so little like this."

Fleur's response to this comment was to heave a great amount of air and start crying her eyes out again.

Ginny pressed her hand over her mouth to quiet herself before her mother could hear her. Hermione did about the same thing, but was not as successful as Ginny had been. Harry turned to see the two girls standing on the other side of the table. He smiled even wider and motioned for them to sit down with him.

Ginny still had to keep her mouth covered with her hand so Hermione chocked out the question that they both wanted an answer to, "What on earth has happened?"

Harry silently laughed as he tried to answer, "The chair,…with the card,…she wanted a blue blue, …not a sky blue,…complete melt down,…"

"We were woken up because something was the wrong shade of blue! She was screaming her head off because something was the wrong shade of blue? Your laughing because it was the wrong shade of blue!" Hermione whispered in a razor sharp voice.

"Mrs. Weasley said it was all the wedding planning stress."

The girls looked at each other and realized what was so terribly funny now. Hermione peered at her watch to see if she was correct. As she thought, it was 11:34 in the morning.

Fleur had only started planning the wedding two and a half hours ago.

* * *


	3. Chapter 3

Sorry its been so long. Stupid midterms hit me. Anyway, nothing is mine still. Please enjoy.

* * *

After the poor wedding planner had left, Mrs. Weasley helped Fleur climb the stairs to Bill's old bedroom and told her to just relax for a while. Fleur actually did what she was told and went to lie down on the bed for a short period of time.

Mrs. Weasley released a sign of relief and walked down the stairs back to the kitchen to make some strong tea and breakfast for the others.

While Mrs. Weasley had been tending to Fleur, Hermione and Ginny started getting things together for breakfast. Harry had tried to help the girls but after dropping a carton of milk and breaking a glass in the sink, both of which Hermione mended, he decided that he was much more helpful just watching.

"Good morning all. How did everyone sleep last night?" Mrs. Weasley asked as she reached the kitchen and seamlessly took over the frying pan from Ginny. "Ginny dear, could you please get the plates and silverware for the table."

Ginny automatically started going about the kitchen collecting the things to set the table. She was about to set everything down when she realized that Ron was nowhere to be seen. Hermione had of course noticed this, but knew that he must be sleeping in again.

"Harry, why isn't Ron awake if you are?"

"I tried to wake him up, but he took a swing at my head and told me that he could defeat me and my eight legs if it was the last thing he ever did."

Hermione and Ginny started giggling at the same time.

"It wasn't that funny. He broke my glasses again."

"Isn't it a good thing I taught you the _reparo _charm then," Hermione plainly stated as she glanced at Harry's glasses. They looked in perfect condition.

Ginny had finished setting the table as she walked over the Hermione and told her to, "go wake up the slug" before he missed breakfast. She took over Hermione's squeezing of the oranges and pushed Hermione slightly toward the door to the hallway.

Harry smiled widely as Hermione walked to the stairs.

* * *

Hermione felt a bit awkward climbing the stairs to go wake Ron from his slumbers. She thought it was terribly odd that he had stayed asleep so much longer then the rest of them.

She had the sudden idea that Ron might possibly be ill.

Hermione walked a little faster up the stairs.

The noise from the kitchen was completely gone as she reached the landing with Ron's room. She softly knocked on the door and listened for any signed of life from with in.

Not a sound came from the room.

Hermione soundlessly opened the door a few inches and peaked her head around to see a lump in Ron's bed.

"Ron. Ron wake up." No answer.

"Ron, your going to miss breakfast for the first time in your entire life." There was still no answer. Not even any snorts or coughs or rolling over under the covers.

"Ron, don't you dare make me come over there and shake you awake like I had to for the Quidditch World Cup." Even with all the harsh whispering, Ron did not stir. He was still rolled on his side with his back to Hermione.

"Oh, this is ridicules," Hermione told herself as she walked over to Ron's bed.

She was just about to grab Ron's shoulder when two strong arms pulled her onto the bed.

"What are you doing? Ron let go of me this instant! Right now Ron!" But Ron wouldn't let go. He laid there laughing as Hermione tried to escape from his tight hold.

"Come on Hermione. I've been planning this all morning. You should let me have my fun."

Hermione did not answer. Her mind was working quickly to figure out a way to get back at him. She had actually stopped flailing her limbs as well. Ron thought he might have held on to her too tight.

Ron loosened his grip around Hermione's waist as he tried to make sure she was alright. "Herm…" He was cut off by the surprise of being nose to nose with Hermione.

"Thank you for letting go of me Ronald. You almost forced me to go to extreme measures."

Ron gave a lop-sided smile as he asked, "and what would that have been Mione?"

Hermione kept her very stern face as said very seriously, " I was going to have to threaten to never kiss you again if you did not let me go."

Ron's smile did not fade at all. He knew Hermione could never do that.

"Liar."

They both started laughing uncontrollably. Ron pulled Hermione a little closer to him so that her head rested on his shoulder and her arm reached over his chest. It was a very comfortable position to be in.

* * *

While Hermione and Ron enjoyed the comfort of each other, Harry just sat and watched Ginny assist her mum make breakfast. Ginny knew when he would do this. She could almost feel his gaze. Many would find this un-nerving, but Ginny found it flattering.

Though she would not allow herself to have those girlish dreams of living happily ever after with Harry, she did enjoy the fact she was not the only one who wished it could have happened.

Ginny finished the juice and put it in the middle of the table. Then she took the plates from her mother and also placed those on the table. Harry sat and watched her do all of this. He smiled slightly as Ginny sat down across from him.

"I say we just start eating. They won't be down for a while."

Harry laughed and agreed with Ginny. Mrs. Weasley took her strong tea and breakfast into the living room to enjoy some quiet. Harry and Ginny ate in silence for a while. They had been in this situation so many times that it seemed like routine now.

But Ginny needed to ask her question, she just needed a place to start…

"Why don't we talk anymore Harry?" He looked up at Ginny as she asked this question. She was staring right back at him. Ginny was never shy after she decided what she wanted.

"What do you mean? We're talking right now?"

"I mean, really talking. Usually we just talk about quidditch or school or the weather. Those are just distractions from everything we should be talking about."

"And what should we be talking about Gin?" Harry was afraid of where this conversation was going.

"We should be talking about whether you are going back to school next year. Or maybe about how ridiculous we both have been about our relationship or friendship or whatever it is we are."

Harry sighed heavily and looked at his plate of half finished eggs. "I don't know Ginny. I don't know if I'm going back to school. I don't know what's going on with us. All I know is I can't see you die because of me, so we can't really be anything. Voldemort would find out and he would use you to get to me. He would kill you because of me."

Ginny simply looked at him.

She was at a loss of words. This speech was not anything new. It was exactly what he had said a few months ago when he had broken up with her. "Harry, that's not fair. It's exactly what you told me before. And it doesn't even make any sense."

Harry couldn't process what was happening. He thought that he had made it perfectly clear. He wanted Ginny safe. He didn't want her to be involved in this at all. He wanted Ginny to live.

"You know I'm in danger anyway, right? My entire family is on the Order's side. I'm in danger by association. How is dating me going to make that worse? I'm the daughter of two very important Order members. I'm the sister of four other Order members. And everyone knows that I am Harry Potter's friend anyway. How would not dating me make me safer?"

Ginny stood up and left her half eaten breakfast on the table. She ran from the kitchen to her room in one breath. When she reached her room she slammed the door and sank to the floor breathless. She had finally let it all out.

Harry sat at the kitchen table by himself. He did not understand what had just happened. But Ginny's word had made a very big impression. How would dating her make her safer?

Harry did not know.

* * *

More to come. Promise. AN: and i like shorter chapters, sorry. Thats how i write. 


	4. Chapter 4

New ch. Enjoy. Still not mine by the way.

* * *

Hermione and Ron came down the stairs together a few minutes later. They had not heard the speech Ginny had finally given Harry, so they were very surprised to see Harry sitting by himself staring at the opposite wall. He seemed to be in a trance or deep thought.

Ron looked at Hermione for some kind of que as what to do. She looked right back at him with the same question in her eyes. But Hermione came up with an answer quicker then Ron did.

"Harry?" Hermione walked over to Harry's side of the table and sat next to him. She put an arm on his shoulder and shook it slightly. "Harry what's wrong?"

Harry shook his head. "Ginny's right. I'm being stupid."

"Stupid about what mate?"

"Everything…everything I thought I needed to protect her from I can't protect her from," Harry mumbled to himself. The others could not really understand what he had said.

"Harry, you're not making a lot of sense," Hermione said while rubbing his shoulder blade. "You need to tell us what's going on so we can help you with whatever it is."

Hermione was worried that Harry had been stunned with something, or he was really worried about something to do with Voldemort. She wasn't sure what was going on. Harry had mentioned Ginny. Was Ginny alright?

"Harry, nothings happened to Ginny, right? She's alright, isn't she?"

Harry nodded and then looked at Hermione. "Why did I do it Hermione?" He looked so sad and confused that Hermione did not know how to answer him. "Why did I dump Gin when nothing good could come from it?"

Hermione looked at Ron. Ron was clueless of what to do for his friend. Hermione motioned for him to sit down on the other side of the table so that he would at least be moral support for Harry.

"Well, you said that you needed to protect Ginny. Don't you remember that? You said that she meant so much to you that you couldn't risk her being hurt or, worst of all, killed."

Harry nodded to what Hermione was telling him, but he contradicted everything Hermione said with the words that Ginny had just given him. "But she's in danger already. Dating me wouldn't make it worse, and not dating me wouldn't make it better. How could I have been so stupid 'Mione?"

Ron finally looked like he had caught up with the rest of the class. He looked a little uncomfortable with all the talk about Ginny. Hermione gave him a look that told him to settle himself and say something.

"Well Harry, you know girls are mental. So I guess blokes can be a bit mental sometimes too. I mean, you did think you were watching out for Ginny. It's not a bad thing, just how you went about it wasn't right. That's all."

Hermione stated at him. Ron had said something supportive and right. She was shocked beyond anything else. She smiled at him very widely as she turned back to Harry.

"Hermione?"

"Yes?"

"Does Ginny still like me, or is she doing this to torture me?"

Hermione quickly turned her laughter into a very harsh cough.

"Harry, I am very sure that she still likes you. You two need to work through all this mess and just make up."

She smiled sweetly to Harry in a motherly way. Harry was finally out of his trance state completely. He hugged Hermione tightly and kissed her forehead as he got up and patted Ron on the back for his support. Harry disappeared up the stairs.

Hermione turned back to Ron.

"That was really good advice you gave Harry. Where did you get it from?" She smiled teasingly.

"Haha. It's all mine actually. Came up with it on the spot. Somewhat of an improv thing I suppose."

They both laughed very hard before they began to eat the remains of breakfast.

* * *

Harry stood in front of Ginny's door. He had actually been standing there for about ten minutes already. It felt like a lifetime to him.

Harry finally got the courage and knocked on the door before he could change his mind again. He stood there waiting. Ginny knew it had to be Harry, and she was not very keen on seeing him at the moment.

"I don't really want to talk right now Harry," Ginny said through the door.

"How did you know it was me?"

"Because Hermione knows what locking charm I use on the door, and Ron always just yells through the door. He never knocks."

Harry stood there and decided that he couldn't just leave it at that. He summoned his courage and began his apology. All he wanted was for Ginny to forgive him. She didn't have to take him back. Well, not yet at least.

"Gin? Ginny, I'm really sorry about everything. It was stupid to think I could protect you by keeping away from you."

Ginny walked over to the door to heard Harry better.

"I wish I could take everything I did that day back. It would be a bit easier then apologizing to a door at least." Harry trailed off a bit. He wasn't sure what exactly to say to Ginny. Ginny laughed in spite of herself and went to put her ear to the door.

"I still think I'm right you know. I still want to protect you from everything. But I do realize that the way I thought I could protect you was wrong. You were right. You will be in danger whether we were dating or not. And I don't expect you to come running back to me or anything, I just want you to forgive me for being stupid."

Harry finished up his little speech to the door and waited. He strained to hear anything from inside the room, but he couldn't hear any movement at all.

Ginny stood on the other side of the door not entirely sure of what she should do. She put one hand on the door handle and the other hand held her wand. As she whispered the counter spell for the locking charm she opened the door and faced….

…nothing.

The opposite wall was all that greeted Ginny. The tension had finally gotten the better of Harry, and Ginny could hear him sprint the last few steps to the attic room he shared with Ron. She heaved a great sigh and closed her door again.

"This is completely stupid," Ginny thought to herself. "I think I've gone mental. And I think I brought Harry with me…"

Ginny walked over to her window and sat down beside it. Outside was so peaceful. She decided she would go for a walk and went to grab her trainers from the closet. Ginny thought the fresh air might straighten out her mind a bit.

* * *

Ginny walked down the stairs to find Ron and Hermione talking and eating. She smiled slightly at the two of them.

"You really need to ask poor 'Mione out officially," she said as she gave Ron a hug good morning.

Ron's ears turned a bit red. Hermione started giggling again because she had a very good idea of what Ginny had said.

"I'm going for a walk to clear my head. I'll see you all for lunch."

Ginny hugged Hermione as well and walked out of the kitchen into the beautiful daylight.

Hermione watched her go and suddenly decided that she wanted to go too. It would be a perfect time to talk since they didn't spend a lot of time together anymore. She quickly drank what was left of her orange juice and walked around the table to Ron.

"I think I'm going to go catch up with Ginny for that walk. She shouldn't be walked alone anyway." She kissed Ron on the cheek and added, "Go make sure Harry is alright please. You did so well before, I trust that you can take care of thing."

Ron smiled at the compliment. "All right. Just be careful please."

"Always. See you later."

* * *

All done for now. New ch. soon. 


End file.
